EngineerHer

Joy is the third step in my 6-step process to get from the life you have to the life you want and need. But in this post, I’m going to talk about why this is so and what the alternatives are. I mean, given the political aroma coming from the States at the minute, it’s a time to think about what can defeat fear. Well, in my opinion – it’s joy!

What is joy?

There’s a reason for Joy being that third step. But I suppose, I’d better talk about what joy is first. Talking about joy as a revolutionary act is no good if we don’t have a shared understanding of joy!

There are elements, as always, to a shared understanding of joy:

• great delight or happiness
• positive energy
• well-being
• success
• good fortune

We can be joyous about small things as well. A standard joke in Ireland is, “Do you remember last summer?” “Sure, it was a Tuesday afternoon, right?”

But when the sun comes out in this country, we have fun. The banks of the Grand Canal in Dublin, and indeed most other waterways across the country, will be crowded with people out enjoying the sunshine, with a few drinks and some friends. Old friends, new friends, whoever’s about. It’s a truly joyous experience.

A picture of the traditional crowds around the Grand Canal on a summer’s day

But it could be the sight of a rainbow, on a filthy, wet day. The first flower in springtime. The joy of seeing the sun rise before heading to the office for the day. Joy can come in all sorts of forms.

These are not necessarily examples of joy as a revolutionary act, of course, but they can be. For years, in Ireland, just even the notion of celebrating, of feeling joy, took mammoth effort and was definitely revolutionary. Basically, we have form in this area!

What’s the opposite of joy?

Fear. Fear is the opposite of joy. If you look at the rigid, religious structures in the world, you will notice they control people using fear. Whether it’s fear of the afterlife, fear of standing out, fear of failure… it doesn’t really matter what fear they’re using. But fear will work. And let’s be honest. There’s a lot of fearmongering in politics as well. (Yes, that is a link to a Google Scholar search. No, I’ve not read every article there, there’s approx. 53,800 results!!)

And joy is a wonderful way of confronting fear. When you are feeling strongly, deeply, firmly, rooted into your joy, when you feel that joy in your soul… people find it much, much harder to control you. I speak from the history of the Catholic church in Ireland. I speak from experience of “respectability politics”. This comes from a place of knowledge. I speak from the knowledge of being afraid of losing a job, of running out of money, of losing everything I worked for. But when I found the joy in my profession again – it brought confidence. Along with acknowledgement of my own competence.

When you are afraid, whether of the afterlife, or losing your job, or illness, or starvation… you are easier to control. On an individual level and on a population level. And when people seek to control you, joy becomes a revolutionary act. Smiling into the darkness.

Joy as a revolutionary act

This image rocked around the world during the riots following George Floyd’s death in 2016. Iesha Evans standing calmly, quietly, in the face of oncoming riot police in Baton Rouge.

I saw a post on Facebook a few days ago, outlining the memories and advice given to an offspring from their father, who had been captured by the Gestapo and tortured for four days in World War 2. You can see the full thread here. There are a few key things we can learn from this man and I will tie them into joy as a revolutionary act.

• The point of the resistance is to create friction, make it hard for your adversary to operate, to increase transaction costs. They will find it easier to control you if you are fearful, because you won’t dare create the friction. But even laughing at the oppressor is a revolutionary act and can cause joy in others!
• Resistance doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can be refusing to bow down to fear. It can be persevering in feeling joy in the world, despite the oppression.
• Use your privilege. Yes, feeling joy can feel like privilege, but sometimes that can help you help others.
• Sometimes, the best way to do things is out in the open. And that can lead to hearts racing, nerves, etc. But laughter and joy can hide some of the physical effects of this. And honestly – you can fake joy when you know it well enough!
• Bide your time and take the opportunity as it arises. Sometimes, this means possibly risking a laugh at a ridiculous statement or action. Sometimes it means taking that extra time to process something for an oppressor. It can mean helping someone else hide by sharing a joke and being obviously joyful – standing out to hide.
• Operate in cells to limit the people who can be hurt when the cell is taken out. Limit the damage. But also, build strong relationships with your fellow cell members. Which includes sharing joy. But also…
• … beware of informers. The stronger the bonds you share with your partners, the harder it will be for informers to gain entrance. But they can and will. I’m struggling to find the joy in this one people!

OK but really, joy as a revolutionary act?

What could be more revolutionary than finding joy in a life that someone is determined to make miserable? Joy, laughter, happiness… these are all tools to fight oppression with. Trust me, the Irish have been doing this for centuries.

I’m going to suggest you go have a look at the old 1980’s comedy, The Irish RM. Based on a book by the same name. The Irish in this show are continually getting one over the Regional Magistrate – the Englishman of the title. Have a look at how the whole community will conspire to get the outcome they want or need… and laugh at the danger of it.

There are reasons the Irish have a dark sense of humour, of course. We are well experienced in most forms of revolution, including joy. Sometimes existing is an act of revolution. Existing with joy? Well that just makes things better.

So think about. Where is the joy in your life? When the world around you is trying to turn you to fear, to force you into small, fearful, homogenous groups… Joy can expand your mind, transform the fear into action.

Look at those trying to control you with fear. What are they trying to accomplish? Usually, it’s a power grab. That’s what I saw happening in the US elections a few weeks ago. And now is the time to revolt.

Revolution isn’t necessarily guns and violence.

Joy can be an act of revolution.